Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a construction toy consisting of a system of flexible struts and resilient spherical nodes so configured that each strut joins with each node in a ball and socket joint.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The use of construction elements for toys is common, and valuable. These toys teach spatial relationships, mechanical skills, and even artistic skills. There are numerous toys of the construction type that have been patented. Some of them are:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,916,006 (""006) teaches toys made of elements of various shapes, all of which contain wire cores. such that they can be bent into fanciful shapes, and connected by wrapping the elements about each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,428 (""428) teaches flexible hollow tubes or straws that are connected by means of coupling members that are hollow, but contain an interior pin such that the hollow tube goes within the member, but has the interior pin in it.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,011 (""011) is an inexpensive toy comprising rigid tubular elements that are connected by stamped members having protrusions to fit within the tubular elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,003 (""003) teaches rigid cylindrical struts that are inserted into corresponding cylindrical cavities in linking members, being held in the cavities by friction between the cylindrical strut and the cylindrical hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,004 (""004) teaches a toy with flexible struts with tapered ends, the ends being inserted into polygonal connecting elements in the form of envelopes. Multiple struts introduced into the envelopes bear on each other, causing their retention in the envelope.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,975,858 (""858), 4,579,538 (""538), 3,432,960 (""960) are of general interest in the field of construction toys.
All of the patents cited have the problem of being either too readily disassembled, i.e., they fall apart, or they are too difficult to disassemble when another configuration is desired. Those toys with rigid struts do not provide the wealth of finished shapes that those with flexible struts do, and all of the strut/connecting devices provide for either no or very little swiveling on the part of the strut inserted in the connecting means.
The toy of the instant invention comprises flexible struts that are inserted into flexible nodes, the struts having balls formed on the end, and the nodes having corresponding sockets formed therein, whereby each joint is a semi-closed ball and socket joint, allowing not only for flexibility, but reliable retention of the struts by the nodes. The nodes are of a compressible material and contain a plurality of equatorial sockets about each of the three axes of the nodes. The struts are preferrably flexible, but of course could be rigid along all or part of their length. They preferably come in a variety of lengths, those lengths being multiples of each other when assembled.